


I Left My Heart in San Francisco

by lucitae



Category: Produce 101 (TV)
Genre: M/M, Slice of Life, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-18
Updated: 2017-07-18
Packaged: 2018-12-03 11:21:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11531166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucitae/pseuds/lucitae
Summary: Sewoon meets Youngmin on a Tuesday and falls in love.





	I Left My Heart in San Francisco

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Tiếng Việt available: [I Left My Heart in San Francisco](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12844773) by [beTum](https://archiveofourown.org/users/beTum/pseuds/beTum)



> Everything started with Sewoon helping Youngmin [keep the rhythm (1:11)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NAn2lTxneo) and [my kouhai](http://archiveofourown.org/users/landfill/pseuds/landfill) adding fuel to the flame. Then [this](https://www.instagram.com/p/BWpUIm5A-Ri/) photoshoot happened and the rest is history.
> 
> A translation of this fic is available in Vietnamese thanks to beTum
> 
> Warning for frequent POV shift.

Sewoon turns around and finds that he is utterly alone. A few moments ago, he swore he could still hear Gwanghyun yelling  _keep up, hyung_ , to which his only reply was  _yeah yeah. Be there in a second._ And now, surrounding him is a crowd of unfamiliar faces with only himself to blame for this.

He digs around his pockets and to his horror he realizes that in the rush of morning and trying to keep up with the others, all he has is his wallet. Phone probably still left somewhere in his hotel room. On what whim did he decide to lug around his guitar instead of his phone only morning Sewoon can answer.

The only blessings so far, if it can be counted as such, are a BART pass and the card jammed into his wallet with the hotel name and address printed across it. The choir teacher had forced one of these cards on every student and irresponsibly declared that if anyone got lost they should just call a taxi and wait for the rest of the group there.

Sewoon mutters a curse under his breath.

 

 

 

Youngmin wakes up to an empty room. The only sign that indicated that he was here on a trip with his friends comes from the group chat and Daehwi's message that reads: 

> Hyung~ we didn't want to wake you ㅋㅋㅋ   
>  Donghyun-hyung wanted to go shopping and Woojin-hyung and I wanted to explore some local eats.  
>  Meet up with us when you want!

He leaves it as  _read_ and groans as he starts looking up addresses of places Daehwi has mentioned.

30 minutes later, he heads to the nearest cable car station.

 

Youngmin squints at the map displayed on his phone, trying to make sense of it under the brightness of the sun. There had been tips on various websites on how best to explore San Francisco, promising him that he'll reach his destination while taking a scenic tour of the city, making him determined to follow it through. Youngmin was so absorbed in this task that he didn't look up until he heard a curse in the familiar Busan dialect. To which he frantically looks around in hopes of seeing Woojin. Instead, he finds himself glancing in the direction of a boy around his age in jeans and a simple white t-shirt with a guitar strapped to his back. There's frustration in the expression and Youngmin isn't sure what compels him to approach. ( Empathy, maybe. )

"Hey," Youngmin voices, slipping back into the less foreign verbiage. "Sorry I—" he begins when he realizes his mistake and the guarded expression on the stranger's face, "you looked like you were lost and I thought maybe you needed a helping hand." Youngmin's smile turns sheepish as he rubs the nape of his neck.

 

 

 

Sewoon is startled when a stranger approaches, offering help out of the blue. Part of him thinks this is a definite trap, one where he'll end up penniless in a dingy back alley somewhere; the other part of him is grateful because he is clearly lost and would take any sort of help he could get. 10 minutes of staring at the map has led to the conclusion of regret for skipping English courses. Who knew English would actually be useful?

"Yeah," Sewoon admits, reluctant as he nods his head, keeping an eye on the stranger, "are you from around here?"

The stranger laughs, bright, with all of his teeth exposed. "No," the stranger explains, "I'm on a trip with my friends and got left behind." And after a brief pause, "Youngmin. Im Youngmin is the name," flashing another smile. Sewoon thinks it is a trick of the sunlight when the stranger's eyes seem to almost sparkle.

"Sewoon. Jung Sewoon," Sewoon proffers, offering half a smile in return. "Me and my friends are on a choir tour," deciding that it is perhaps in his best interest to receive help from the stranger, Youngmin, and explains: "I don't know where they went. I turned around and suddenly the weren't there. And I left my phone at the hotel."

"Hmm," Youngmin sounds, lost in thought, "did they mention where they would go?"

Sewoon thinks back to the conversations he's mostly tuned out, focusing on how nice it would be if he got to visit the busking scene in San Francisco. Somewhere Gwanghyun interjects, asking for Sewoon's opinion on going to this one place ( a museum of sorts, Sewoon's brain helpfully supplies ) and distractedly Sewoon had said yes.

"A museum," Sewoon offers and Youngmin pulls out his phone, expectant. One of the students in his group is an art major so Sewoon goes out on a limb and suggests "an art museum I think?"

"San Francisco Museum of Modern Art?" Youngmin suggests after a few seconds, showing Sewoon the homepage of the museum, showing off the art collections available with the letters SFMOMA spread around.

"I think so?"

Youngmin returns to his phone, frantically typing something and Sewoon waits patiently, thankful that someone was kind enough to help him out.

"It's near Westfield Center!" Youngmin exclaims, looking up from under his bangs, excited to share information that has no significance to Sewoon. Sewoon can't help but smile at the enthusiasm. "Meaning," Youngmin revises, "it's in the same direction and" Youngmin begins to list off instructions gathered from the web surfing about how to get to their destinations via the cable car.

Sewoon merely shrugs and says: "sure. But we better get in line first."

Youngmin's smile turns sheepish again when he realizes the long line of individuals waiting for the next car. Sewoon just laughs, readjusts the weight of the guitar on his shoulder, and follows Youngmin into line.

 

 

 

The wait in line is longer than Youngmin expected and he's positive that if he was here by himself he would have given up a long time ago. But Sewoon somehow makes the wait tolerable. Well, more than tolerable. Youngmin finds himself complaining about his dongsaengs, how they just abandoned him to his own devices ( quite literally ) and divulging little bits about himself. He finds out that Sewoon is also from Busan, with an intense love in music that renders Youngmin speechless. To know and be determined to pursue a dream in this idol saturated society is beyond admirable. Sewoon only laughed, ducked his head, and shook the bangs away from his forehead when Youngmin said as much.

 

"This way," Youngmin directs when the cable car finally arrives. Without thinking, he grabs Sewoon's hand and steers him to the right hand side of the car, scooting in because all the seats facing the windows are always coveted by tourists. "Sorry," he apologizes when he notices and drops Sewoon's hand, shy. 

"It's all right," Sewoon reassures, flashing Youngmin one of those wide smiles— the kind that has Youngmin looking away.

"What did you want to do with your day?" Sewoon asks. Youngmin thinks it is out of politeness as Sewoon scoots closer because of the amount of individuals being crammed into the car.

"I didn't really have a plan," Youngmin admits and thinks about how this statement applies far beyond this morning. "I guess I was used to Daehwi organizing for us that I never considered anything otherwise." 

"Is that so," comments Sewoon as he stares out into the scene sprawling in front of them.

"Yeah," Youngmin smiles to himself before forcing himself to mirror Sewoon. "I don't mind shopping or trying new food. It just would have been nice if they just brought me along."

Sewoon hums under his breath and Youngmin decides to focus on the scene ahead of them.

 

 

 

The car is nearing the first stop when Youngmin cries out and then frantically checks his phone. Before Sewoon has the chance to ask what's wrong, Youngmin begins frantically apologizing.

"I'm so sorry, I should have double checked. We took the cable car in the wrong direction." The boy shrinks into himself, repeating the apology like a prayer.

"Hey," Sewoon sounds, placing a hand on Youngmin's shoulder, hoping to reassure him. "It happens," Sewoon comforts, before peering over Youngmin's shoulder and taking a glance at the map. "Wait! May I?" Sewoon opens his hand and Youngmin hands him the phone.

Sewoon's heart begins to race as he traces the tram's route towards the ocean and has to pause to remember to take a breath. Youngmin looks concerned and Sewoon just magnifies Fisherman's Wharf and shoves it into Youngmin's face without explanation.

"I've wanted to go there," Sewoon exclaims, patting his guitar case. "It's a busking scene where both registered and unregistered individuals can perform. I brought this guy along in hopes that I could go and now I can!"

"Thank you," Sewoon says, expression softening as he looks at Youngmin and Youngmin's expression seems to mirror his.

"So don't worry about it," Sewoon concludes.

Sewoon's knee knocks against Youngmin's and Youngmin stops feeling so guilty.

 

When they approach Lombard Street, Youngmin knocks the back of his hand against Sewoon's shoulder like an excited kid and it steals a laugh from him. Bright eyed and filled with wonder as Youngmin looks back and forth, between the crooked winding street view laid out in front of them and Sewoon's face, almost to be certain that Sewoon was seeing what he was seeing too.

Sewoon decides not to tell Youngmin that the class had toured this ( from the opposite angle ) after their Golden Gate Bridge visit.

 

 

 

"Maybe a detour isn't always such a bad idea," Sewoon says as they get off and Youngmin had to agree. Sewoon gets to visit the place at the top of his list and Youngmin got to witness the gorgeous scenic view of San Francisco but stays silent and stone faced until Sewoon knocks his shoulder against Youngmin's and Youngmin bursts out laughing.

"You're right. You're right," Youngmin concedes.

Sewoon smiles as if saying  _I know. I'm always right_.

Sewoon then offers a hand. "I lost my friends. This place is much more crowded than where I lost them."

(  _I don't want to lose you too._ )

Youngmin takes it and hopes the flush of his cheeks is from the heat of the sun.

 

Sewoon's enthusiasm makes him seem like a child at a toy store, unable to make up his mind about who to listen to first. So Youngmin helps, steering Sewoon towards certain buskers based on the comments Sewoon had made when he was scrolling through Youngmin's music library. The way Sewoon's face brightens up makes it that much more worth it ( even the criticisms and judgements towards some of Youngmin's favorite songs ).

 

Sewoon sits down at a relatively vacant area and pats the spot next to him.

"Here?" Youngmin asks, confused.

"Sit with me," Sewoon says as he pats the spot again.

Youngmin does so before realizing what this entails when Sewoon starts unzipping his guitar case.

"Wait, you're performing here?"

"Of course," Sewoon states in a matter of fact way. "Why else would I have brought this along?"

Youngmin feels like he's intruded upon something when Sewoon brings his guitar out and starts tuning.

"Why am I—" Youngmin begins.

"Moral support. You can join in any time," Sewoon offers with a wink and Youngmin bursts into a smile on reflex.

Sewoon begins muttering under his breath, debating whether or not he should sing an original composed piece.

"I don't think..." Youngmin starts to comment when Sewoon begins singing. Youngmin promptly shuts up after that, entranced.

Sewoon's eyes are closed, head and body swaying as he pours out a tune upbeat and enjoyable. Youngmin can't look away.

 

 

 

Sewoon opens his eyes to Youngmin, eyes wide and mouth half open, in awe and a warm feeling washes over Sewoon.

"Did you like it?" Sewoon asks, curious ( although he thinks he already knows the answer to that ).

Youngmin nods and Sewoon's grin widens.

"You should join me," Sewoon says, brainstorming songs that both of them would know based on what he'd gleaned from Youngmin's music library.

Youngmin shakes his head. "I don't— I can't sing."

"Don't be shy," Sewoon encourages, "We're doing this for fun anyways." And then starts strumming a tune keeping his eyes on Youngmin the entire time until Youngmin caves and starts singing softly. His smile only widens when he notices Youngmin's blush. Sewoon then nods, hoping to assure Youngmin as his foot taps lightly against Youngmin's to help him keep the beat before joining in, opting to vocalize and strengthen Youngmin's confidence before slipping into harmonization.

They spend an afternoon this way: Sewoon elated by a new friend that indulged him and Youngmin with another incident to add into his growing folder of memorable events, both blissfully unaware of the small crowd gathered and the cash in Sewoon's guitar case.

 

They run to catch the last cable car headed towards Powell Station before they become stranded after 7pm, out of breath when they finally make it. Their eyes meet and they burst into laughter, too exhausted to be self conscious when they find themselves slumped into each other. Sewoon concludes this as a blessing ; Youngmin counts this as a miracle.

 

"Thank you for today," Sewoon says when they get off at the last station. Youngmin smiles before proceeding to give Sewoon a side hug.

"I should be thanking you instead," Youngmin says when they part. Sewoon doesn't get why he feels so conflicted but laughs anyway before bowing a bit and thanking Youngmin once more.

"I think I'll be good from here," Sewoon waves in the direction of the museum that Youngmin had pointed out for him. Youngmin nods and waves in return.

Sewoon turns around after a few steps only to see Youngmin grinning and waving his hands.

 

 

 

 _Where are you?_  reads Donghyun's text and is all Youngmin read before Daehwi calls him.

"Hyung," it comes out as a semblance of a whine and Youngmin can see Daehwi pouting, "where are you? You haven't contacted us in hours and you aren't at the hotel either. We're worried."

"Maybe you shouldn't have left me alone in the hotel," Youngmin jokes, tone light when Daehwi immediately blames Woojin for the idea and Youngmin hears Woojin's defensive sputter in the background. He laughs at that.

"I met someone today. Someone kind and affectionate," Youngmin says, thinking of how Sewoon offered to split the money and then decided to distribute it to buskers they enjoyed listening to when Youngmin refused to take a portion. "I'll tell you about it later," Youngmin dismisses when he hears Daehwi get all worked up about it.

 

 

 

Gwanghyun clings to Sewoon the moment they reunite, bombarding him with complaints, worries, and questions about his day. Sewoon finds himself smiling at the familiarity before starting to explain, only to find it falling when he realizes he didn't ask for a way to keep in contact with his new friend. Gwanghyun tries to distract Sewoon by relaying his day and the works of art Sewoon had missed by falling behind.

 

"Hey, hyung?" Gwanghyun asks as he pulls out a piece of paper slipped into the crevice between the guitar and its case, "what's this?"

Sewoon walks forward, squinting before he sees a string of numbers and snatches it out of Gwanghyun's hand. There's a pounding in his head ( or heart, he can't tell ).

"Hyung?" Gwanghyun asks, tentative. He only wanted to see the guitar that got to busk, maybe even touch the strings in reverence, didn't expect his hyung to be so defensive about it.

"It's nothing," Sewoon quickly says, tucking the slip of paper into his pocket but Gwanghyun can make out the tinge of pink in the light illuminating their hotel room.

"It's nothing," Sewoon repeats, although it sounds awfully like he's saying it to himself.

 

The message is short:

> 01N XXXX YYYY  
>  add me if you would like to

It brings a smile to Sewoon's face. He saves the number to his phone and sends a short message starting with  _Hey._

**Author's Note:**

> Why do I always write travel fics? The unconscious wanderlust seems to always take over. If I did my research right, they are riding the Powell/Hyde cable car line. One day I will go to San Francisco myself to check this out.
> 
> A rushed fic with probably really wobbly characterizations but I hope it was entertaining in some way. Hopefully the ponyopaca tag will thrive and flourish in the future.
> 
> As always, comments and kudos much appreciated!


End file.
